My dog seems to be under the weather
My dog was fine yesterday but now he seems quiet, not smiling, keeps scratching his ear, and his eye seems runny. What do I do before I take him to the vet? Please help.
Advice (1)
Hi Jackie,
When a dog scratches at an ear a lot, it's usually an indication that he has ear mites or an ear infection. You can try cleaning out your pet's ears to see if that helps at all, but you are probably going to have to take him to the vet if the irritation doesn't go away. If the watery eye is on the same side as the ear that he's scratching, it could be the ear irritation that is making it water.
Take a look in your pet's ear. and see if there is any waxy, brown build up. If there is, this really might be a case of ear mites. If the ear seems really warm, has a hot pink color and perhaps a foul odor, then it's likely your dog has an ear infection.
To clean the ear, you'll need to soak a cotton swab in some alcohol, squeeze out the excess, and gently wipe off the flap, as well as what you can safely reach in the outermost portion of the canal. Make sure you do both ears, and use a fresh swab for each one.
If your dog's symptoms aren't better in the next 24 hours, you should call your vet and schedule an exam so you can get a correct diagnosis and treatment.
Have you gone to the vet yet for a diagnosis? Has anything helped? Let us know how it's going!